Longtime Arlington Heights Resident, Chicago Sports Writer, Harvey Duck, 80
As a sportswriter for the Chicago Daily News for over 35 years, Harvey Duck reported on almost every aspect of Chicago sports. He was an award-winning journalist in prep sports, the outdoors, skiing and motorsports. He was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame for outstanding achievement in Illinois basketball in the area of sports media. He received the "Conservation Communicator of the Year Award" in 1966 from the Illinois Federation of Sportsmen for his early and continuing coverage of environmental issues. During his years as ski editor and motorsports editor, he received awards and recognition from the United States Ski Association, the Outdoor Writers Association of America, the America Auto Racing, Broadcasters Association, The Eastern Motorsports Press Association, the state of Wisconsin Conservation Department, The Chicago Park District, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and from many of the motorsports facilities around the country, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
When the Daily News ceased operations in 1978, Duck used his knowledge of motorsports and his media background to become the public relations director of petroleum company and auto racing sponsor, STP. During his 20 year career with STP, Duck worked with open wheel and stock car teams, and drivers including Mario Andretti, his sons Michael and Jeff Andretti, nephew John Andretti, and stock car legend Richard Petty and his son Kyle.
"Harvey was one of the original PR guys in motorsports, and especially in NASCAR racing", Petty said in a written statement Tuesday. "He came to STP from a big Chicago newspaper, and there hadn't been much of that at all for race teams or sponsors. Harvey knew the sport and he knew the media," said Petty. "A lot of the things people are doing today in PR started with guys like Harvey Duck. Add in the fact he was a pretty nice guy, and he was fun to have around. We've missed him since he retired, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family," the racing legend said.
Duck moved to Ormand Beach, Fla in 1997 after he married his wife Lexy. He was born in Seattle, and attended Princeton University and the University of Michigan. He died Tuesday, March 22, at Florida Hospital-Ormand Memorial at the age of 80.
Since his retirement from STP in 1998, he has used his talents to help Team Seattle, a sports car team that competes in the Rolex 24 hours at Daytona race, in Daytona Beach. With Harvey's help, the team has raised over 1 million dollars to help provide much needed medical services for indigent children in the Northwestern United States.
His son Keith Duck, Director of Raging Buffalo Snowboard Park, noted; "Our Dad was most proud of his opportunity to bring the world of sports to a city with as rich of a sports heritage as Chicago through his writing for the Pulitzer Prize winning Chicago Daily News."
He is survived by his loving wife Lexy; son, Keith; daughter Linda (Rob) Rooney; and grandchildren, Bobby, Brynn, Aileen and Reid Rooney. Memorial donations made in Harvey's name to Pattie and Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp, benefiting terminally ill children, 4500 Adams's Way, Randleman, N.C., would be greatly appreciated.
Calling hours will be from 4pm - 8pm Friday at the Volusia Memorial Funeral Home in Ormand Beach, Fla, with a memorial service there Saturday at 10 am. Additionally, a memorial banquet is being organized for later in July, in Chicago.
